1 July 2008
If psychiatry is wholly reliant on the intuition of its practitioners, as Mark Salter asserts, how can we know that it makes a difference to the lives of those it hopes to serve? (Get away from the statistics. Trust the doctor, 1st July 2008) In fact, there are many useful ways of measuring the effectiveness of treatments for mental health problems. Dr Salter is also quite wrong in thinking that mental health patients can not be offered choice or that their opinion about how successful their treatment has been is irrelevant.
On the contrary, it is precisely because a mental health problem can impinge on so many areas of life that the views of the patient are so important. A person with a mental health problem is more than a collection of clinical symptoms that can only be understood by professionals. They may continue to suffer the symptoms of a mental health problem, but their quality of life can improve immeasurably if they can be supported to socialise, take up exercise or get into work.
A post-Darzi NHS needs to work together with other agencies such as those in employment and social care to address the total quality of life of mental health patients. A narrow focus on clinical symptoms means missing the picture of the whole person and one of the best ways to find out if a person’s life has improved is by asking them and those close to them.
Dr Andrew McCulloch
Chief Executive
Mental Health Foundation
Download Lord Darzi's Next Stage Review from the Our NHS, Our Future website
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